octopus painting update

i chalked my octopus in over the weekend and gave her a first coat to let dry until today.  i had to take a very deep breath to put that first coat on and leave it!  i didn't hover over her, worrying that she wasn't perfect yet.  i knew the first stages were not going to be pretty.  they never are.  not in anything in life.

i'm happy with her tentacles and body language.  she's telling the story well, i think.



this morning my motivation was high early in the day, so i went right down and got some more color in her and made sure i talked about her suckers.

i'm using several reference photos and my own artistic license with the whole painting, though it is a lot more realistic than any other painting i've done.  pretty happy with how well she's playing with me!

i will be building more color and layers onto this and working on her eye before too much longer.  but she's drying now, and i'm resting.


i've also had an idea about an older painting that has been sitting for a while.  i was happy with it, though it seemed it wasn't really finished;

but now that i am actually looking at it i don't know how to use my idea.  i had a different picture of how it looked in my head.  i'll have to think some more.  nuts.  oh well.  either i figure it out, i think of another idea, i let it sit a while longer, or i paint over it.

until later,

jenny